The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1887-07-23
WAGES IN JAPAN.
The Pay Asked by Japanese Laborers fof
an Inferior Kind OF Work.

Since the table of wages in Toxic |
given in the third report of the royal
commission appointed TO inquire into
the causes of the depression of trade and
industry, is apt to be taken as it stands
by the outside world, shall give few
facts of such tradesmen as have had
dealings with.
Carpenters. 40 to 60 cents. The first
figure is out of all question. For about
a year | employed a carpenter off and
on at go cents day-that is. when time
permitted. He would begin work at
about 9 a. M, ''work" till 6 p. M. and
devote about three hours day TO
smoking and thinking-he was great
thinker in his way-and eating, and
the work he did in the remaining six
hours with the awkward toys that pass
for tools here, an English or an Amer
lean carpenter would do in ono hour.
which brings a japanese carpenters
wages to 60 cents per hour. or taking
the day at eight working hours. to 80
per day. And have employed carpcn-
tiers at rs cents and 81 per day with the
SAINT itSuit.
Plasterers, As to IS cents per day; to
be had at that rate at about a week S
notice. The year before last | had to
employ two plastcrers TO repair place
in the wall of house where piece of
plaster of about two feet square had
fallen ont. The two artists turned up
at TO- y. M, and. sitting down upon a
couple of empty wine-cascs. lit their
pipes. AT about 1890 a. M. one of
them approached the damaged place
within a yard. took mental photo
| graph of it, and sat down. At IL a.
IN. mutual friend appeared, who was
warmly welcomed, and. after smoking
a pipe or two. amused them by stand
ing on his head. and by that time they
had got very hungry and made a pause
of two hours for tifln. Pipes again.
Then the one who had carefully sound
ed the wall knocked another piece of
plaster down. Pipes again. BY 5 p.
m. they had made the hole about three
times its original size, and were so
thoroughly exhausted that they left off.
Next day a stray drop of water, where
ever it may have come from, lighted
on one fellows nose and made them
conclude it was going TO rain. so that
no work could be done in the after
noon. Well, to cut matters short,
those two square feet of plaster-that
is river mud-cost me S.. An English
or American plasterer would have sent
one of his boys and boxed his cars il
he did not come back in an hour.
Painters-spacc will not permit to
90 through the whole list-25 to 81
cents per day. have some work fol-
painter at present. and am willing to
give 40 cents per day, but the man will
not work under so cents, aud says il
will take him eight or ten days to dc
the job. Now, / estimate the time in
which the work can be done and should
be done-and there are but few things
but that | have done myself-at two
and one-half or three d VS. time o.
nine working hours, so that i woult
be paying at the rate of 81. 80 to 81. 6t
sevens for more than week.
| could give instances of the same
kind ad infinitum, but then the cour
tesy of newspaper editors does not ant
can not extend to writing books in thu
columns of their papers, and if | hav'
thrust forward few hard facts here,
have done so from the reason tina
those who contemplate trying thci
chances in this country in the nea
future may not be mislcd and after
ward cry out in the bitterness of thei
disappointment that they have been de
celved, and become blind to much tina
is good and to be appreciated in Japan
l am not thus disappointed-this t.
guard myself against any such sus
picion-for l have returned to Japal
of my own free will, knowing all this
and much that l have said here an,
much of similar import l have said t.
those whom the King has delighted
honor; yet l am as welcome at thei
palaces or residences as ever was
may hope, therefore, that the reason
have just given for making these re
marks will be accepted. all the more a
my bread would very probably be but
: tered much thicker on the other side
l | ,JaDa,1 Mail